Matt Hart

Tides and tight lines: Heritage fisherman on the River Severn

[Matt Hart @MattyH02]

🎵 🎶 When the weather is fine, you know it’s a sign, for messing about on the river… 🎵 🎶

Glorious hour this evening…messing about on the River Severn in Glorious Gloucestershire.

[Severn Piscator @severnpiscator]

So good to share a positive river story! I spent last night on the bank with @MattyH02, helping a few thousand elvers past one of the tidal flood gates in the upper Severn Estuary. 1/3

[Severn Piscator @severnpiscator]

And we’re away! Let’s hope the bore roars and the eels swim.

[Severn Piscator @severnpiscator]

Our first eel-fare talk and elver safari was a resounding success. One of the greatest wildlife migrations slips by most Severnsiders invisibly, last night we opened the lid and let a few more people have a peak. There’s a bit more love for the eel out there today 💪.

[Severn Piscator @severnpiscator]

Our first elver safari! Wish us luck!
@MattyH02 and I will be working with the EA on some assisted migration, moving fish past these barriers (see 🧵below) but we also want to highlight the clapper gate issue to a wider audience and share our love for the wonderful eel. 1/2

[Matt Hart @MattyH02]

Suffice to say… not a bad start to the day on the banks of the #riversevern

[Matt Hart @MattyH02]

After a long day in the day job, I’m back in my happy place on the banks of the #riversevern. Tide pumping in, glass eels dotting the surface in the moonlight. Bliss. Tried to capture, but my phone camera failed the assignment…so you’ll have to make do with this..

[Matt Hart @MattyH02]

Stunning tide yesterday morning here on the River Severn. Not large enough to attract the crowds, but a cracking small #severnbore

[Matt Hart @MattyH02]

@seasaxa @DefraGovUK @EmmaforWycombe @DanSaladinoUK @guardian @guardianeco @Telegraph @elverdave @MattHayesfish No challenge intended. Just trying to get my head around it all. Thanks for the clarification!

[Matt Hart @MattyH02]

@seasaxa @DefraGovUK @EmmaforWycombe @DanSaladinoUK @guardian @guardianeco @Telegraph @elverdave @MattHayesfish Apols, I’m behind the curve - day job getting in the way. When you say ‘almost no legal way to love them upstream past barriers in Britain’ what does that mean? S.30 under SAFFA still an option for assisted migration in same river wfd basin or not? Has the SI changed?

[Matt Hart @MattyH02]

Glorious start to the day here on the banks of the River Severn. Feeling slightly bad for disturbing the mallard from their slumber!

Fresh is dropping out after recent rain…hopefully getting out in the estuary next week to catch a few Severn shrimp. It’s a bit of down ‘ere.

[Severn Piscator @severnpiscator]

There was no shortage of shrimp and a riverside cook-up was the perfect ending to a great day. 2/2

[Severn Piscator @severnpiscator]

Some glorious river time this week, out with @MattyH02 in pursuit of the best food the Severn estuary has to offer - the brown shrimp.

This time we were joined by @Nicholas_Jones_ who has been following our adventures all year, he took these fabulous photos. 1/2

[Matt Hart @MattyH02]

A wonderful late afternoon out with @severnpiscator. Once the rain started it was wetter than an otter’s pocket… but there’s no such thing as bad weather…only the wrong clothes! We managed to find a few Severn shrimp so supper is sorted!

[Severn Piscator @severnpiscator]

The last of the Severn shrimpers.

@MattyH02 mid estuary late afternoon (the photo isn’t representative of the weather we faced 💨🌨️). Not the easiest evening in the river.

[Matt Hart @MattyH02]

They don’t make ‘em like this anymore. 24 minutes of brilliance. Enjoy.

[Severn Piscator @severnpiscator]

https://t.co/SS3TJEqint

Peak TV, Cider, elvers, salmon and lave netting, what’s not to love, a wonderful glimpse of an older Severnside. There will be nothing better on the 📺 tonight - treat yourself to a watch of this.

[Matt Hart @MattyH02]

@MillardWill Thanks, Will. A magical time in the river. Interestingly, the upper estuary is full of juvenile mackerel at the moment. For little fish they throw a decent loom and have a side step JJ Williams would be proud of!

[Matt Hart @MattyH02]

Making memories out in the Severn Estuary with the youngest lave netter. He was spotting looms (marks of fish swimming), stalking them and caught some mullet (very tricky to spot and catch). When his time comes, netting his first salmon will be a cakewalk.

[Matt Hart @MattyH02]

Working between the tides to undertake some vital riparian maintenance. My wonderful neighbour Mike - a true Severn man, working with my lad. Separated by over 80 years but very much on the same page. Wonderful.

[Matt Hart @MattyH02]

@Porridge048 It’s a tricky one, the faintest of looms and a terrible photograph. Here it is…

[Matt Hart @MattyH02]

“The first class fisherman (lave netter) must have the speed of a rugger three quarter and the eye of a county cricketer….”

Brian Waters, Severn Tide (1947).

There is a fish in the first pic…bonus points if you can spot it…not a salmon, but a shad…safely returned.

[Matt Hart @MattyH02]

@Porridge048 It’s a tricky one, the faintest of looms and a terrible photograph. Here it is…